


More Than Just a File

by Tazbb12



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Adventure & Romance, F/F, League of Assassins - Freeform, Lian Yu, Minor Nyssa al Ghul/Sara Lance, Nanda Parbat, the amazo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-29
Updated: 2018-08-29
Packaged: 2019-07-04 00:49:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15830343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tazbb12/pseuds/Tazbb12
Summary: Ava has read Sara's file but she knows there is more to her story.  Ava wants to know the details that didn't make the file.





	More Than Just a File

**Author's Note:**

> I am still a little new to the Arrowverse and I tried to do as much research as possible for the timeline and backstory but I might have some things wrong. I apologize in advance for an errors.

It was a file, but it really was so much more than just papers in a folder. This file represented someone’s life and experiences. More specifically this file represented her girlfriend’s life and everything she went through to be the person she became…to be the person Ava loved.

The first time Ava had read the file was when Director Hunter plopped it on her desk telling her to get familiar with the legends. She read the file as a list of facts - date and place of birth, family, friends, relationships, school, The Gambit, The Amazo, Lian Yu, Nanda Parbat, The League of Assassins, Team Arrow, The Lazarus Pit and finally the Legends. 

The trauma of being swept out to sea, the ordeal of being captured, torturing to avoid being tortured, living on an island never knowing if you would get off, the league of assassin’s, dying…actually dying and being brought back over a year later how does anyone come back from that? Sara did though an Ava wanted to know more. She wanted to know what Sara was going though…was she scare? Lonely? Did she ever have hope?

“I can hear you thinking from all the way over here,” Sara said dropping her crossword puzzle onto the bed next to her.  
“Sorry didn’t mean to interrupt your puzzle time,” Ava teased.  
“When it is a beautiful blonde I don’t mind,” Sara smiled crawling over to the edge of the bed where her girlfriend met her for a kiss.  
“Glad to know I make the cut.”  
“So, what’s on your mind?”

Ava hesitated for a moment but knew she could talk to Sara about this. She could talk to Sara about anything.

“I want to go someplace,” Ava said turning to face Sara.  
“Is it a where or a when,” Sara teased as time travel could take them literally anywhere?  
“If I could it would be both but that wouldn’t only break time, I am pretty sure it would explode it.”  
“You have my attention,” Sara said now sitting on the edge of the bed looking up at her girlfriend intrigued.  
“My first choice which we can neither do where or when is Nanda Parbat,” Ava said carefully gauging Sara’s reaction.

Sara was surprised but remained quiet. She had been back there for various reasons since she first returned to Starling City, but she hadn’t been there in years. Ava was definitely right about one thing though and that was they couldn’t return there. The league still operated out of that location and if she returned it would come at a heavy price…one she was no longer willing to pay. 

“Where I want us to go is Lian Yu, present day,” Ava said sitting next to Sara on the bed.

Sara should have figured that was the place Ava wanted to go but she was so thrown by her first semi suggestion her brain was having trouble catching up. Lian Yu in some respects was almost worse than Nanda Parbat. When Sara stepped onto The Gambit she was a naïve little girl and she left with a little piece of her soul missing. 

Ava could tell the request hit Sara hard and almost regretted saying anything to begin with. She thought visiting the island would bring them closer together but now she wasn’t so sure it wouldn’t send her running. Not sure what to say she remained silent and let Sara process and figure out what she wanted to do. 

“Why,” she asked not upset but curious?  
“I told you I read your file, but at the time we weren’t exactly cordial,” Ava smiled.  
“That’s putting it mildly,” Sara joked back.  
“I read your file as facts but that was your life. I want to see the place you spent almost two years. I want you to talk to me about it, whatever your comfortable with. I want to know more.”  
“Wasn’t exactly the best time of my life,” Sara mumbled.  
“Maybe not but without those experiences I don’t think we would be sitting here today,” Ava said brushing back a blonde lock of hair from Sara’s face. 

Sara leaned into her touch and smiled. All the trauma, pain and heartbreak she endured brought her to this moment and she would do it all over again if she knew this is where she would end up.

“Lian Yu huh?”  
“I want to, but only if you’re truly ok with it. Any doubts, any fears and we don’t go.”

Sara stood and took a deep breath clearly trying to think through going back to the place that changed her forever. It was true Lian Yu brought her anxiety and fear, but there was something different about it this time. This time she wasn’t naive, she would be prepared for anything and she had Ava.

“Ok let’s go.”  
“Right now,” Ava asked a little shocked?  
“No time like the present.”  
“How about in the morning after we have actually slept?”  
“I guess that is fair enough. Gives me time to set some things up,” Sara said heading towards the door.  
“Set what up?”  
“It’s Lian Yu, I never take any chances when it comes to there,” she said cryptically and headed out of the room.

Ava noticed Sara wasn’t at dinner and didn’t return to their room until Ava was fighting sleep. She quickly got ready for bed and settle in without a word.

“Sara?”  
“Yeah babe,” she mumbled snuggling into Ava’s side.  
“Everything ok?”

Sara tightened her grip on Ava and let out a slow calming breath.

“Everything is ok.”

Even though both Sara and Ava were feeling anxious, nervous and a little bit excited about their trip they managed to get a decent nights sleep. No matter what was going on around them they found comfort and calm in being with each other. 

When they woke up neither was in a rush, but they went about their morning routines without wasting much time. Sara once again took off before Ava finishing up final preparations for their trip. When Ava walked out onto the bridge Sara was talking with Nate, Amaya and Zari.

“8 hours you got it,” Ava heard Sara say as she checked her watch.  
“On it Captain you have nothing to worry about,” Nate tried to comfort her.  
“Yeah, I will believe that when I am back on this ship.”

Ava walked over to the small group who all turned and smiled at her.

“Morning Mrs. Captain,” Nate smiled.  
“Morning Nathaniel,” Ava smirked tossing his formal name back at him as a form of a nickname.  
“You ready to go,” Sara asked?  
“Yeah, everything ok here.”  
“Peachy.”

Ava raised an eyebrow not sure if she was just joking or covering something up. When Sara leaned up and gave her a small kiss she settled for the former…for now.

“Then let’s get going,” Ava smiled.

Sara walked over to the wall of the waverider and picked up two large backpacks. 

“Are we going backpacking through the Andes,” Ava asked confused?  
“Trust me on this one. Try not to destroy all of time,” Sara called out over her shoulder to her team as Ava open a portal.

A few short seconds later Ava and Sara were standing on the shores of Lian Yu. Ava looked around in amazement while Sara was thrust into flash backs of a time she rather not think about.

“Hey are you ok,” Ava asked taking both of Sara’s hands in her?  
“Yeah.”  
“Maybe I would believe that if you would at least look at me,” Ava said trying to make eye contact with her girlfriend, “Sara we can go, we don’t have to stay.”  
“No, I actually want to stay, its just hard. I never thought I would be back here.”  
“I can’t begin to understand what your going through, but I want to. Just tell me whatever you want me to know, take me wherever you want to go and tell me whatever you need me to do.”

Sara squeezed Ava’s hands tighter grounding herself in her girlfriend touch. 

“Just don’t let go.”  
“Never,” Ava said giving her hand a kiss.

Sara looked around at her surroundings to try and get a baring of where she was. It had been over 5 years since she left the island but some things you just never forget.

“Let’s head up there,” Sara said nodding off into the distance.

Ava turned around to see where Sara was signaling. 

“Over there? Up that cliff?”  
“Welcome to Lian Yu,” Sara smiled and started walking pulling Ava with her.

Whenever possible Ava held onto Sara’s hand but they were hiking up a rocky cliff and at points needed to separate. Ava was conscious not to make the breaks too long and quickly recaptured her hand or made some kind of contact. As they approached the summit Ava was a little surprised to see the flat plateau overlooking the ocean.

“Wow you can see half the island from here,” Ava said looking around.

Sara gave her a moment to observe and realize why they started here.

“Oh…Oh my god Sara,” Ava said rushing closer to the cliff getting a better look into the cove.

Sara just nodded as Ava turned back to look at her.

“Is that…that’s the Amazo,” Ava said in awe looking at the broken half submerged ship.

Sara walked up beside her and link her hand with her girlfriends.

“That is the Amazo. The ship that found me floating at sea. I sometimes wonder if it would have been better if they never found me at all.”  
“Sara,” Ava whispered pain lacing her voice.  
“I don’t anymore, but for a long time I did. That ship, that ship was where it all started, where I forever changed. I caused so much pain to so many people just so I wouldn’t suffer the same fate.”  
“You survived.”  
“But at what cost?”  
“You. Survived,” Ava said firmly making sure Sara understood that.

Sara took a deep breath and nodded her head.

“Every emotion you could possible imagine having I felt on that ship but it wasn’t normal…these emotions were so extreme it’s like my body just wanted to explode.”  
“I don’t think I have ever felt that before,” Ava said softly.  
“I pray you don’t,” Sara said brushing back a lock of Ava’s hair.

They stood there for a moment just looking at this broken ship that played such a large role directly or indirectly in both of their lives. Sara would tell Ava random memories seemingly unconnected but as more memories were shared Ava was able to link some together. Her heart broke at the pain and struggle Sara went through. 

“I don’t know if I should be thankful for Ivo or want to rip his balls off and shove them down his throat,” Ava said battling with her own emotions.  
“Ha welcome to my world. He taught me so much during that year…college has nothing on what I learned from him. However, in the end the mirakuru corrupted him and whatever good intensions he had were lost, he was lost. A small part of me, a very small part, is thankful for what he taught me but you’re right…I could rip his nuts off and shove them up his ass.”  
“I said down his throat,” Ava smirked.  
“I figured the two-prong approach was best. Come on,” Sara said tugging on Ava’s hand to follow her.

The two made it off the cliff and started hiking through the woods. Ava was certain if left to her own devises she would be lost and wondering through the forest forever, but Sara seemed to know exactly where they were going. When she abruptly stopped Ava almost feared what this place, this small clearing in the otherwise dense forest, meant.

Sara walked over to a single tree to inspect it, almost confirming this was the place she thought it was.

“Sara,” Ava said cautiously as her girlfriend remained stoically silent.  
“This is where I should have died.”  
“What?”

Sara collapsed to her knees, tears falling from her eyes.

“Ivo had captured Shadow, Oliver and I and brought us here. Even if we weren’t tied up we had no fight left in us, yet he still wanted to take more. He gave Olie 30 seconds to choose.”  
“To choose what?”  
“Who lives and who dies.”  
“Sara,” Ava gasped dropped to her knees and hugging her tightly.

Sara pushed her back slightly not feeling worthy of compassion in the moment, but Ava wouldn’t have it. She wrapped her arms around Sara again holding her so tightly she couldn’t move.

“I should have died.”  
“No, you shouldn’t have and Shadow shouldn’t have either.”

There were no words Ava could come up with to help Sara with the guilt of living when one of her friends was not. She could only be there to offer comfort and support.

“Almost from the moment I stepped on the Amazo I wished for death but then with a gun pointed at my head I wanted nothing more than to live. 3, 2, 1,” Sara whispered remembering the countdown.  
“I got you, I’ll protect you,” Ava said kissing her just below her ear. 

After a few moments of comfort Sara stood bringing Ava with her.

“Come on, there are better places on this island then here…but I wanted you to know this moment.”  
“Thank you,” Ava said knowing there was no other way she would have known about this without Sara herself sharing it.

They made there way out of the forest and back to the shore line. Being along the waters edge always brought Sara some comfort. They walked hand in hand in a peaceful silence. If Ava didn’t know any better she would have thought they were walking along the east coast shores and not Lian Yu. Sara suddenly stopped again but unlike the furlong look on her face at the previous destination this time there was joy.

“What is this place,” Ava asked with cautious optimism?  
“Our playground,” Sara yelled as she took off up the shore line.

Ava laughed as she watched Sara bounce from rock to rock before quickly ascending a tree, grabbing a rope and swinging across to a platform in another tree.

“Are you Tarzan,” Ava laughed looking up at her girlfriend.  
“Yes, come be my Jane,” Sara said playfully sticking her tongue out at Ava.  
“And how would you like me to do that? I am not exactly Tarzan trained.”

Sara quickly made her way back to the ground.

“I’ll help you.”  
“Just remember we don’t have Gideon at the ready to tend to the injuries I am sure I am about to sustain.”  
“I am hurt,” Sara said dramatically placing her hand over her heart like she had taken a direct hit, “don’t you trust me?”  
“I trust you…I don’t trust trees and ropes and platforms that were placed here over 5 years ago.”  
“Nah you will be fine let’s go.”

Sara talked Ava through how to scale the tree and if there was ever a time she wished to have a camera it would be in this moment. As graceful a fighter as Ava was, scaling a tree was not in her wheelhouse. Once Ava was stabilized in the branches Sara joined her again and grabbed the rope.

“You have to be kidding me?”  
“You just saw me swing across, it is fine.”  
“You’re like a 100 pounds soaking wet.”  
“Oliver, Slade and Shadow used this rope all the time and it was fine. Let’s go you big baby,” Sara said swinging back over to the other side.

Sara sent the rope back over and Ava grabbed it wearily.

“Get a good grip, jump up and lock your feet. Your own momentum and the angles will do the rest of the work.”  
“If I die just know the only reason I am doing this is because I love you.”  
“I love you too jerk now get over here.”

Ava said a silent prayer and took a deep breath before swinging over to the platform Sara was standing on.

“You can open your eye,” Sara smiled her hands securely on Ava’s waist keeping her steady.  
“Am I alive?”

Sara gave Ava a little kiss.

“Very much so.”  
“I might need one more of those as proof.”

Sara chuckled but kissed her again, this time with a little more passion.

“All right let’s go.”  
“Go where,” Ava asked looking around?  
“To the net platform.”

That was when Ava noticed there was a series of platforms and ropes around the trees.

“I told you it was our playground. We used everything more to train but we had to have some fun.”

Throwing caution out the window Ava followed Sara around their aerial playground. She had to admit it was fun once she got the hang of it.

“Ok only one more.”  
“One more? Sara we are damn near on the edge of a cliff.”  
“Exactly and only one way down,” Sara smiled looking out into the cove.  
“No, not absolutely not. You are insane.”

Sara just smirked at Ava grabbed the last rope and flung herself off the platform and dropping 40 feet into the cove below. Ava let out a scream at the sudden action.

“Sara,” Ava yelled out after seeing her girlfriend hit the water but not seeing her come up. “SARA…..SARA,” she yelled again.

Panic took over and Ava grabbed the rope following Sara into the cove below. Once she hit the water she easily popped back up.

“SARA,” Ava yelled once more frantically looking around.  
“You rang,” Sara laughed popping up behind Ava.  
“OH MY GOD SARA,” Ava said hugging her the best she could as they both treaded water.  
“Glad you could join me.”  
“YOU JERK I THOUGHT SOMETHING HAPPENED TO YOU,” Ava yelled shoving Sara away.  
“I figured that was the only way to get you to jump. Thanks for coming to look for me,” Sara smirked.  
“Ugh JERK.”

Sara gave Ava her best puppy eyes and swam over to her.

“I’m sorry baby. Forgive me,” she said kissing Ava’s neck and making her way up to her jaw and finally to her lips.  
“You are impossible.”  
“But you love me.”  
“God help me,” Ava said rolling her eyes.

Ava and Sar swum towards the shoreline a little more so at least Ava could touch the bottom. Once Sara knew Ava no longer needed to tread water she quickly settled into her arms.

“A submarine used to reside in this cove.”  
“Seriously,” Ava asked looking around not sure a sub could fit in here?  
“Yeah, the Mirakuru virus was on it. It was also how we made it back to the Amazo and then ultimately sunk it.”  
“You guys really did use every single resource available to you huh?”  
“We kind of had to. We had to survive.”  
“I am so glad you did,” Ava said giving her a kiss, “Even if you are a big jerk,” she laughed before dunking Sara under the water.  
“So not cool you are going to pay for that.”

Ava screamed and took off trying to swim away from Sara who was hot on her heels. For the next hour the two played around in the cove switching from playful banter to romantic moments and back to playfulness. Eventually they made it back to shore and Ava realized their next problem.

“Going anywhere in these wet clothes is going to be awful,” she huffed slightly.  
“Yeah but getting you all wet was worth it,” Sara smirked.  
“In more ways than one,” Ava shot back.

Sara raised an eyebrow shocked at her girlfriend’s quick wit.

“How about we get into some dry clothes before I address that…or maybe I should just get you out of those clothes all together.”  
“As adventurous as I love being with you we are not have sex on the beach.”  
“Why not? That is certainly something I have never done here before.”  
“Sand in places you never ever want sand.”  
“Speaking from experience?”  
“Maybe.”  
“Intriguing Ms. Sharpe.”  
“So what about these dry clothes you speak of,” Ava said changing topics.  
“I packed us some clothes in our bags…always be prepared.”

Sara and Ava made the short trek back to where they started and Sara pulled out clothes for them to change into. Ava looked around once she had her clothes in hand.

“No one is here Ava it is safe to change.”  
“I know…its just weird. We are the only two people on this whole island.”

The pair quickly changed into dry clothes, Ava never being more thankful for her girlfriend’s preparedness than right now. They took their wet clothes over to some rocks to layout so they could dry. Ava sensing they had no particular place to be sat down on a large rock not far from where their clothes were. Sara came over and sat between her legs leaning back into Ava’s arms.

“Comfy,” Ava asked amused?  
“Safe,” Sara mumbled.

Ava didn’t think it was possible but in that moment she fell more in love with Sara. Their lives were a little crazy at times and for Sara to call being in Ava’s arms her safe place meant the world.

“This is where Nyssa found me,” Sara said breaking the silence.  
“What?”  
“I was on The Amazo when the torpedo hit. It blasted a whole in the side and started taking on water. Oliver, Slade and I were below deck and the impact knocked me off balance and the water forced me out the opening.”  
“Seriously Sara we are never and I really do mean NEVER going on a boat EVER.”  
“No arguments here. The Amazo was close enough I was able to swim to shore, but everyone else that had been on the island was on the sub and gone.”  
“You were totally alone,” Ava stated having never previously thought about that before.

Ava tightened her arms around Sara never wanting to let her go. She was filled with a sense of emptiness that literally made her heart hurt. Whatever she was feeling she knew was nothing compared to what Sara experienced in those days.

“I survived for almost a year before I knew I was just biding time until my death. If I was going to die I wanted to be near the water, it would be fitting. I hadn’t eaten anything for days after barely eating much for the prior month. I managed to get myself down to this shore and all night I just looked at the stars. I figured whenever I closed my eyes that would be it.”

Ava wanted to say so many things, but this was Sara’s story to tell and she didn’t want to interrupt. 

“The next day I could barely open my eyes but I managed to and thought I was in heaven or maybe hell I don’t know. There was this woman cradling me in her arms, she was beautiful. I thought for certain I was having a hallucination or she was some angel ushering me into the afterlife. However, she started giving me small amounts of water and food. I was in and out of consciousness but I was told we remained on the beach for a couple days before I was able to really function again.”  
“And then you left for Nanda Parbat?”  
“We stayed here a little while longer as I got stronger and she told me about The League. It had been almost 2 years since I stepped on The Gambit and a year since I had seen another human being. I should have died twice at this point, I was broken.”

Ava leaned forward and placed a small comforting kiss on Sara’s neck just below her ear in a show of support.

“The League was a place for lost souls to channel negative emotions such as anger, pain, fear and turn it into something meaningful. Do you blame me for going?”  
“I could never blame you for anything, especially not for surviving.”  
“Nyssa said she would look after me and care for me.”  
“Did you love her?”

Sara took a deep breath and thought about her relationship with Nyssa. It was complicated but she did know she had loved Nyssa.

“I did, but it came with so many strings. I don’t want it to sound like I am lessening my love for her, but it was complicated. She saved my life, she looked after me and cared for me, she protected me. I wasn’t sure I was capable of loving anyone but she showed me how.”

Ava took a deep breath and nodded her understanding. Ava wasn’t mad about that, honestly if she ever met Nyssa should would probably hug her. She saved Sara and in her darkest moments taught her to love again.

“It is different with you.”  
“What is,” Ava asked?  
“My love for you,” Sara said turning in her arms slightly. 

She brushed her finger along Ava’s cheek leaning up to give her a kiss.

“I love you unconditionally and of my own accord. Your love isn’t my link to humanity in my otherwise dark world. Your love is free only wanting my love in return, which you have. You support me and ground me allowing me to be the best version of myself. I have never been this happy.”

Ava couldn’t hold back any longer leaning down to give Sara a passionate kiss. It started off slow but quickly grew in intensity.

“Maybe we should head back to the ship,” Sara said breathless.

Ava fidgeted with her time currier but panicked when it wouldn’t work.

“It’s not working,” she said desperately trying to make the device function.  
“Of course it isn’t. Well, we should get our stuff together.”  
“Wait why are you so calm about this?”  
“Because this is Lian Yu and I am prepared for everything. I told my team where we were going and if we were not back in 8 hours to come get us no matter what.”

Ava breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing Sara needed was to get trapped on this island once more.

“They should be here soon than right…I mean we have been here a while.”  
“Except it is a time ship babe our 8 hours and there 8 hours could be a little different…it might be a couple days. That is why I brought the packs stocked with supplies. Come on I know a place we can hole up for a while.”

They finished gathering their things and started heading back into the forest. They didn’t have to go far before they stopped in front of what Ava could only describe as a wall of weeds. She watched Sara walk the length of the wall before heading back and stopping three quarters of the way up pulling apart the weeds.

“Holy shit,” Ava gasped shocked to see an opening appear.  
“Welcome home,” Sara said stepping aside allowing Ava to walk in. “At one point or another this is where Oliver, Slade, Shadow, the prisoners of the Amazo and I lived. It has suffered some damages over the years but all in all it has held up pretty well. It will certainly do for us for the night.”

The two started cleaning up a little bit clearing out spaces for them to sit and another place for them to sleep should they need it. As it got a little later Sara pulled out some food for dinner and even had a bottle of wine.

“If I didn’t know better I could swear you were a top tier girl scout or something.”  
“Nah just trained assassin,” she laughed.

Even though they were semi stranded on Lian Yu, they had nothing to fear and could just could just enjoy each other. After dinner Sara lit a small fire and they set up their sleeping bags.

“So, I was thinking,” Sara said with a mischievous grin.  
“That’s always dangerous.”  
“We aren’t on the beach anymore,” Sara said grabbing Ava’s hips and pulling her flush to her body.  
“No we aren’t,” Ava said brushing a piece of hair behind Sara’s ear.

Sara smiled leaning up to kiss Ava. They spent the next couple of hours really enjoying each other and suddenly Ava didn’t mind the minor delay in heading back to the ship.

“If your team shows up right now I might kill them,” Ava mumbled kissing Sara’s bare shoulder still basking in the afterglow of their love making.  
“Hmm that would be highly entertaining,” Sara said snuggling further into her embrace.  
“Just because you have no qualms getting caught in compromising positions doesn’t mean I am.”  
“Please, the number of times they have caught us in various states of undress…really everyone should be used to it by now.”  
“Why doesn’t the waverider have locks again?”  
“Oh it does.”  
“What? Why don’t you ever use it?”  
“Gideon controls them and she likes embarrassing you.”  
“Of course…I really hate that computer.”  
“Maybe if you stop calling her a computer she will start to warm up to you.”  
“Or I could just unplug her.”  
“I wouldn’t suggest it,” Sara laughed as how her girlfriend and AI were always at odds.  
“I would suggest us getting some sleep though.”  
“Yeah, the team should be here tomorrow. Thank you for wanting to come here. It was hard but I am glad to share this part of me with you.”  
“I am glad to know more than just your file.”

Ava leaned down and gave Sara one more soft kiss before they fell asleep.


End file.
